


Paint Us

by Vaderisbae



Series: Tales of the Commander [4]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: AU - Modern fantasy, Alpha Lexa (The 100), Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Art, Artist Clarke Griffin, Bisexual Clarke Griffin, Commander Lexa (The 100), F/F, Firebug Clarke, Flamekeeper Clarke, Fluff, Lesbian Lexa (The 100), Native American Lexa, One Shot, Vampires, Viking Clarke Griffin, Wanheda Clarke Griffin, Werewolf Lexa (The 100), aspen creek, au-werewolf, fae
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:34:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24079831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vaderisbae/pseuds/Vaderisbae
Summary: A few weeks after the events of the Mountain, Clarke receives some surprise gifts with mixed results.
Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa
Series: Tales of the Commander [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1695346
Comments: 13
Kudos: 155





	Paint Us

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there guys, gals, and non-binary pals! Here's a little one-shot for you with some Clexa fluff. As always, all mistakes and typos are all my own. Let me know if you find any and I'll do my best to fix them. Love y'all!

Clarke’s pencil scritched across the thick paper of her sketchbook, capturing the serenity on Lexa’s face as she napped on the couch across from her. Thick, broad strokes captured her wavy hair in the intricate Viking braids Clarke loved to do for her. Dark lines etched out the curves of her closed eyes, sharp jawline, and slightly parted lips. Gentle shading emphasized high cheekbones and the elegant line of her neck. Clarke chewed on her bottom lip as she concentrated, trying to capture not just the image of Lexa sleeping, but the aura of carefree relaxation the Alpha so rarely displayed. The drawing was almost complete, almost ready to add to her collection.

Lexa had bought her the sketchbook after finding Clarke hunched over the kitchen island doodling on a spare piece of paper someone had left out. The firebug was still too shy to share her drawings with anyone, especially Lexa, but the werewolf had just looked at her thoughtfully and later that day the book of paper had appeared on the counter where she had been drawing earlier, the name ‘Clarke’ neatly printed in Lexa’s fastidious handwriting. That was only three weeks ago and the book was almost completely full already. Other art materials had shown up almost daily around the cabin, all with the same neat labelling indicating they were for the blonde. Her heart swelled with the kind gestures of her mate and the opportunity to explore her art as she never had before. She’d tried confronting Lexa about it, wanting to balance the scales as everything she learned in Underhill demanded. It had been with mixed results.

\----------------------------

_ Two weeks ago _

A set of 150 Prismacolor colored pencils popped up on Clarke’s pillow that had definitely not been there before her shower. She was awed by the beautiful array of colors and shades, never having seen them all captured in graphite and dyes before. The growing awe quickly turned to discomfort and turmoil as she fought with her ingrained sense of need for independence. She didn’t want to be turned into someone who relied on another person for everything. She couldn’t stand the feeling of being bound to anyone in debt. Her entire life she’d been a slave because of a bargain she’d accepted without understanding the terms. It was too big of a risk to accept gifts, even from Lexa. The chance that the day would come for those gifts to be turned into yet another way to control her was too high for Clarke to accept without a fight. She stomped downstairs and searched for her mate until she found her sitting at the kitchen table reading a worn paperback and sipping a hot cup of coffee. Clarke marched up to her and crossed her arms, tapping her foot as she waited for Lexa to acknowledge her presence. The brunette put down her book and looked up at the firebrand, a question in her eyes and raised eyebrow.

“Lexa, you can’t keep giving me stuff! Don’t get me wrong, I love the art supplies, but I don’t have anything I can give you in return. I can’t keep putting myself in your debt like this when you’ve already done everything for me. I live in your house, eat your food, sleep in your bed. It’s not right for you to give me things that I can’t reciprocate.” Clarke’s tone was stern, reprimanding her mate.

Lexa took the lecture with picture-perfect composure. Once the firebug had finished, she set aside her coffee, slipped her bookmark into the book before closing it, and stood up from her chair to lean against the table. Her brow was crinkled in thought as she gazed at her little flame. Clarke fidgeted in the silence, unsure of whether Lexa expected her to keep talking or wait for the Alpha’s answer. She decided to wait, not dropping the other’s considering green eyes.

“My wildfire, you give me more than you realize. You anchor me, balance me and Sister Wolf. You make me a better person and a better Commander. I may provide all the material things in our relationship, but you have more than returned your part by loving me and keeping me centered.” She paused, picking up her coffee cup and taking a sip, dropping Clarke’s gaze. “Besides, I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

Clarke’s jaw dropped at Lexa’s obvious lie and she poked her finger into the werewolf’s muscled shoulder accusingly.

‘That’s bullshit and you know it! Who else would be leaving art supplies all over the place with my name on them? Which, I might add, is very obviously written in  **your** handwriting.” She couldn’t believe the Alpha would actually try to deny leaving such conspicuous gifts for her mate. There was no other option for who it could be. Raven or Octavia could never not take credit for it and Anya didn’t really give enough of a shit to pay so much attention to Clarke’s hobbies. Lincoln was definitely thoughtful enough for the deed, but he wasn’t over often enough to account for all the presents. Lexa was the only possible culprit. Except now she was refusing to fess up to it! Clarke was filled with such a confused jumble of gratitude and aggravation that she just threw up her hands and started stomping away. Lexa quickly captured her hand in her own and tugged Clarke back in for a gentle kiss.

“Forgive me?” Lexa’s green-grey eyes twinkled with amusement when she pulled away from the kiss.

“Is this you admitting to buying me all the art stuff?” Clarke was suspicious of Lexa’s sudden aquiessence, giving in so quickly was not like the self-assured woman.

“Never,” Now the corner of Lexa’s lips tipped up in the corner, just the tiniest twitch, but Clarke was too familiar with her mate’s features to miss it.

“And now you’re laughing at me!” The frustration returned in the firebrand’s chest full-force and she pushed herself away from the other woman.

“I’m sorry, little flame.” Lexa’s humor fell away, replaced by contrition at wounding Clarke’s feelings. “I did not mean to make it seem as though I was making fun of you. I merely meant to tease you, but I think I went about this wrong.” She gently drew her mate back against her body. “The art supplies were meant to be a small matter, not a way for me to make you feel ashamed at not being able to reciprocate the gesture. I never expected that this would make you feel indebted to me.”

The Alpha’s words soothed Clarke, like a hand smoothing out a cat’s ruffled fur. A wave of love pulsed down their mating bond, making her feel as though she were wrapped in Sister Wolf’s warm fur. She was still somewhat uncomfortable with the whole mate bond thing. It was unpredictable on her end and she hadn’t learned how to control how much of her thoughts and emotions were shared through it. Lexa seemed to be able to control it with ease, like it was an instinct in her that Clarke was lacking, which could actually be a reasonable explanation. Clarke was not a werewolf and had no plans to become so, but maybe understanding all that bond stuff came with the magic of being able to turn from human to wolf. She didn’t mind when Lexa sent her feelings through it though, it was Sister Wolf’s favorite way of communicating with her and made her feel like Lexa trusted her completely. 

“It’s just frustrating because I’m used to doing everything on my own. Sometimes I just want to be able to do things on my own, you know? I mean, I love everything you’ve done for me, but I need to feel like I can do things for myself. Like buy my own stuff from the money Niylah pays me and feel like I’ve earned the things I get.” Clarke felt like she hadn’t fully explained her need for independence, her desire to have something that was totally hers alone, earned through her own effort and sweat.

“How about this? I stop giving you gifts, unless it’s a special occasion, and you repay me for the supplies I’ve already gotten you by putting them to good use? For every item I’ve given you, you owe me an art piece using that medium.”

Clarke mulled it over, trying to figure out how that evened out the scales. She felt like her art wasn’t worth nearly enough to repay the cost of the supplies, but also the paints and brushes and charcoals and pencils made Clarke itch with excitement to use them. She really really didn’t want to return them and couldn’t think of a better way to justify her keeping them.

“Fine, I can live with that.” She dipped in for another kiss, capturing Lexa’s soft lips in a brief peck before disengaging herself and sticking her hand out for the Alpha to shake. She’d learned from Raven that this was the proper way to seal deals in this modern time.

Lexa chuckled and grasped the blonde’s forearm, pulling her in for a languid caress of their lips that left them both a little breathless.

\---------------------

This sketch marked the last of the collection of artwork owed to pay her debt. As she finished the final stroke of the drawing, Lexa stirred, sitting up and stretching her spine lazily. Clarke eyed her suspiciously; there was no way the Alpha had woken up at the exact moment she completed her work, it was too much of a coincidence.

“You’ve been awake this whole time, haven’t you?” Clarke accused her mate teasingly.

“Not the whole time,” Lexa flashed her a cheeky grin, “I didn’t want to deprive you of your model.” She got up from the couch and leaned over to give Clarke a kiss.

“Here,” Clarke handed Lexa the sketchbook quickly, nervous at the thought of her mate looking through them all. It seemed oddly intimate, even more so than when they had sex. This felt like she was ripping open her chest and baring her soul to this woman that was still a stranger in so many ways. “One art piece for every gift you gave me.”

Lexa settled on the arm of the couch Clarke curled up on and began flipping through the pages, carefully studying each one. Clarke fiddled with one of her braids in the quiet, occasionally pointing out the significance of one thing or another, her parents’ faces, the view of the ocean from the cliff by her family’s hut, cruel wolf-yellow eyes leering out from an inhumanly beautiful face, void-black hounds with red tongues and white teeth, a flaming inferno of color, a small strawberry-blonde girl in a yellow sundress crouching down to poke a rock with a stick. Snapshots of Clarke’s past captured with ink and graphite and brilliant colors. Towards the back were images Clarke knew Lexa would recognize, a red and white wolf lunging out from a dark forest, a black mask of warpaint that seemed to drip like blood, the curled form of a sleeping red and onyx wolf, forest-green eyes blending to emerald, the same red wolf drenched in gore with malevolent ebony eyes, the simple curves of a naked woman lying in her bed, and lastly Lexa sleeping serenely holding a book in her hands. When Lexa finished the last page, she rose and took Clarke’s hand, drawing her from where she was curled on the couch.

“I know the perfect place to keep these.” She began walking through the cabin towards the spare rooms, Clarke trailing confusedly behind her. The Alpha fished an old fashioned key from her pocket as they stood in front of a closed door. She inserted the key in the knob and turned, unlocking it. She then handed Clarke the key and opened the door, waving for the blonde to enter first. The blonde walked into a sunlit room, mostly empty except for an easel, several canvases, and a bureau with each drawer neatly labeled with its contents. Clarke stopped dead in her tracks, gazing in wonder around the room, her hand coming up of its own accord to cover her mouth. She turned to the Alpha leaning against the doorframe with her hands in her pockets. She tried to be angry, she really did, but couldn’t muster any emotion but happiness. Lexa saw the look on her mate’s face and probably felt it through their bond as well. Her face broke out into a wide smile, one of her rarest expressions reserved mainly for Clarke. The blonde quickly pulled her face into a frown, feeling the need to tease Lexa in return. The blinding grin faltered on the Alpha’s face, replaced by an almost imperceptible look of chagrin. Clarke shook a chastising finger at Lexa.

“What did I tell you? No more presents!” Clarke’s voice was stern, but she couldn’t entirely mask the hint of humor. Lexa caught it and smiled again.

“Well, think of it as payment for all the future art you’ll give me. Besides, I wanted to commission a painting from you and I couldn’t possibly expect you to work without a fully stocked studio.”

“Oh really?” Clarke cocked her eyebrow and folded her arms in front of her chest. “And what exactly did you want me to paint?”

Lexa finally entered the room, wrapping her arms around Clarke’s waist, gazing at her with infinite love.

“Us.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Also, I am working on the sequel, but its taking rather longer than Howl. I've written several scenes though that are little glimpses into life in Aspen Creek. I probably won't have a super regular posting schedule, so yeah. I love you guys!!


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